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It’s finally here! The new Vacation movie is opening on big screens across the country this Friday, July 31st. Directed by comedy acting/writing duo John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein (The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, Horrible Bosses 2), the movie pays homage to the original National Lampoon classic as now-grown-up Rusty Griswold takes his family on a new cross-country road trip to Walley World, full of its own hilarious twists and turns. Leading the cast are actors Ed Helms (The Hangover, We’re The Millers), Christina Applegate (Married…With Children, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy), Chris Hemsworth (Thor, Rush), Leslie Mann (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up), and original Vacation actors Chevy Chase (Christmas Vacation, Caddyshack) and Beverly D’Angelo (European Vacation, Entourage). Check out the trailer here on MADE, then be sure to add this to your weekend plans!

After hearing about a revamped Vacation update after the National Lampoon classic with Chevy Chase (National Lampoon’s Vacation, CaddyShack) and Beverly D’Angelo (American History X, Entourage), trailers are finally starting to turn up as we approach the July 29th release-date. The film comes from writing/directing team John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein (Horrible Bosses, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone), and follows Rusty Griswold (portrayed in the original by Anthony Michael Hall) and his wife Debbie on a new family vacation enroute to Walley World. Starring in the film are actors Ed Helms (The Hangover, We’re The Millers), Christina Applegate (Anchorman, Hall Pass), Regina Hall (Law Abiding Citizen, Think Like A Man), Nick Kroll (I Love You Man, Date Night), Charlie Day (It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, The Lego Movie), and Leslie Mann (Funny People, This Is 40) and Chris Hemsworth (Thor, The Avengers) as Audrey Griswold and her husband Stone Crandall. The movie will be out in theaters this July 29th; check out the new trailer here on MADE!

The upcoming reboot of the comedy classic from National Lampoon, Vacation, is already well into production, but Variety has reported that four new cast members have just been added to the line-up. Comedic talents Tim Heidecker (Tim & Eric, Awesome Show, Great Work), Nick Kroll (The League, Kroll Show), Michael Pena (End of Watch, American Hustle), and Kaitlin Olson (It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia) are all set to appear in the upcoming film that already has Ed Helms and Christina Applegate leading the cast. Chris Hemsworth and Leslie Mann are also expected to appear in the film, along with Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo, who appeared as Clark and Ellen Griswold in the original 1983 classic. Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley will be co-directing behind the camera. The movie is expected in theaters on October 9, 2015.

A few weeks back we were following the development of a sequel/reboot of the classic National Lampoon‘s Vacation from writers Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, and that Leslie Mann would be joining a cast that includes Chris Hemsworth, Christina Applegate, Charlie Day, and Ed Helms, and original actors Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo. With filming already underway, a cool little bit of news came out of writer/director John Francis Daley in a recent interview with Vulture. Daley was a cast member on director Judd Apatow‘s 1999 TV series Freaks and Geeks, and he may be joining former cast-members Samm Levine and Martin Starr in a brief cameo in the Vacation reboot. We’re at least hoping that they will all three appear at the same time; he really only indicated that they all had roles in the film. It is also awfully coincidental or flat out intentional that Leslie Mann was added to the cast, seeing as her husband is director Judd Apatow! Crazy shit right? Vacation is scheduled to be released in theaters on October 9, 2015, so we’ve got another year before we get to see if the reunion actually happens on screen. Sit tight!

New Line Cinema is currently filling out the cast members for their upcoming reboot of the classic National Lampoon’s Vacation, and some big names are starting to fill those empty cast slots. The new film will be directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, who will also take on the writing responsibilities for the film, and will follow now-grown-up Rusty Griswold as he takes his young family on a new vacation adventure. Thus far the cast consists of Ed Helms (The Office, The Hangover) in the role of Rusty, Leslie Mann (Knocked Up, This Is 40) as Audrey Griswold, Christina Applegate, Chris Hemsworth, Charlie Day, and special appearances by both Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo, who reprise their roles as Clark and Ellen from the original Lampoon classic. While I anticipate that Applegate will be playing the role of Rusty’s wife, Leslie Mann’s Audrey will apparently be married to Chris Hemsworth’s character, anchorman Stone Crandall, but the plot details are still lacking at this point in the production, so we’ll have to keep an eye out for clarification on that. Stay tuned.

Many young people may not be aware of who Harold Ramis is, but they have definitely seen something that he has either appeared in, written, produced, or directed. Generally you would tell someone who wasn’t aware that he was Egon in Ghostbusters (1984), but Ramis was also the writing talent behind Ghostbusters, as well as Animal House (1978), Caddyshack (1980), and Stripes (1981). He also directed several other classic projects, including National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983), Groundhog Day (1993), and Analyze This (1999) and it’s follow-up Analyze That (2002). Ramis has been recognized by the Writers Guild of America, as well as the American Screenwriters Association and he won a BAFTA award in 1994 for Best Original Screenplay (Groundhog Day). He died in Chicago earlier this week from Autoimmune Inflammatory Vasulitis. His work in Hollywood and his contribution to comedy will be missed by many across the country, and around the world. Ramis would have appeared in Columbia Pictures upcoming sequel Ghostbusters 3, which has experienced a lot of delays in production, but now the script will be slightly rewritten since Egon would have appeared in the new movie. No word yet on when the movie will really get off the ground, but we’ll have to see.

Tim Burton is once again working with Michael Keaton to on the long awaited sequel to Beetlejuice. While the movie is still very early in production, Burton and Keaton will also be celebrating one of their other collaborations. The two worked together with Jack Nicholson in 1989 on Batman, the first modern take on the comic book series since Adam West in the 1960s. The two also went on to make a sequel two years later which also starred Danny Devito and Michelle Pfeiffer. Also celebrating their 25 years this year are The Abyss, Field of Dreams, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Major League, Glory, and Born on the Fourth of July. If you get any free time be sure to check some of these out, and stay tuned for more news on Burton’s Beetlejuice sequel.

Director Steve Conrad has finally secured an actor to play the lead role of late comedian John Belushi in his upcoming biopic. While names like Adam Levine and Joaquin Phoenix have been tossed around, the role was finally given to actor Emile Hirsh. Belushi rose to fame in the late 1970s when he became a hit on Saturday Night Live and starred alongside Tim Matheson, Peter Riegert, and Karen Allen in National Lampoon’s Animal House. Belushi was also a huge fan of blues music, releasing an album entitled Briefcase Full Of Blues, and of starring in The Blues Brothers with fellow comedian and collaborator Dan Aykroyd. The sudden and accelerating rise to fame unfortunately became too much for Belushi, who died in 1982 at the age of 33 in Los Angeles, but his legacy has lived on and he has become one of the most iconic and memorable names in comedy. The project is now waiting for production to begin in New York this coming Spring, but with a lead actor and director already in place, filming may begin shortly after that.

Chicago is no stranger to movies. With its large metropolitan area and aboveground transit system, Chicago has become a recent hub for big blockbusters in the last 30 years. Movies including The Dark Knight and the 2002 movie-musical Chicago bare great tribute to the city’s monuments and history, including the culture and music that has grown with the city throughout the 20th century. Here’s a look at some of those memorable moments in movies that have captured the look and/or feel of The Windy City.

1) The Blues Brothers (1980)

If you live in Chicago, and you haven’t seen this movie…you may seriously want to consider moving! Director John Landis reunited with Animal House favorite John Belushi, and Dan Aykroyd to write and direct The Blues Brothers. With a wild chase scene all across The Loop and guest appearances by Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Carrie Fisher and James Brown, The Blues Brothers is one of the quintessential Chicago movies. The film is a triumphant blend of slapstick comedy and large-scale musical numbers, which makes The Blues Brothers a must see if you live in Chicago or you just want to hear some great music and have some laughs in the process!

2) Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

Not only does this movie take us all over Chicago, including the famous Parade scene that was filmed right downtown, it has also gone down as one of the greats of filmmaker John Hughes, whose writing and directing credits include The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, Home Alone 1 and 2, and National Lampoon’s European and Christmas Vacations’. Ferris Bueller has become an 80s movies icon, but not only because of Hughes’ writing and directing talents. Yes, we all know that Matthew Broderick was probably at his best when he made this movie, but a great amount of credit is owed also to actor Jeffery Jones, who portrays Principle Ed Rooney in such a cartoonish way, it’s impossible not to laugh at his childish antics and his undeserved pompous demeanor! This movie is a great watch, every time!

3) The Untouchables (1987)

With the same director as Scarface, the story of the most famous gangster of the Prohibition era, and the original James Bond, how can you not expect good things from this movie? Brian DePalma directed this epic story of a U.S. Treasury officer who forms a team of honest police with the sole purpose of charging and sentencing Al Capone. Not only did The Untouchables score three Academy Awards nominations for Best Art Direction (Set Decoration), Best Costume Design and Best Music (Original Score), it also won Sean Connery his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Chicago also played a starring role in the film. Several scenes were filmed right downtown on LaSalle Street, and even a climactic scene involving a mother and her infant playing pickle in a gun fight was shot right in the entrance to Union Station on Canal Street and Jackson Blvd. If you’re a history fan, or you just want to get a feel about Chicago and Al Capone, The Untouchables is a must see!

4) The Fugitive (1993)

Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones star in this modern update of the 1963-1967 television series of the same name. The storyline is pretty loyal to the original series, which tells of Dr. Richard Kimble and his escape from prison after being wrongly convicted of murdering his wife and now must prove his innocence. Ford does a decent enough job as Dr. Kimble, the character not being all around complex but a little more of the quiet type. The highlight of the film, however, is Tommy Lee Jones, who steels the stage with his portrayal of U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard, winning him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1994. The Fugitive is filled with both suspense and mystery, at points drawing you to the edge of your seat, and you definitely get some good shots of Chicago too! Look for the famous fight scene that takes place right on the CTA…its good shit!

5) Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

Director Michael Bay had already made a great success of the first two Transformers movies, which also brought Megan Fox into the spotlight and threw Shia LeBeouf to the top of the list of Hollywood A-List actors. I was less impressed with the storyline than I was with the first two films, but then the writers did have to patch up the story after Megan Fox’s untimely withdrawal. But what Michael Bay lacks in story he makes up for in action and special effects, scoring Academy nominations for Sound Editing, Mixing, and Visual Effects. And if you ever wondered what it would be like if all-out war broke out in the Loop, all you have to do is watch this movie! The visual effects are so incredible, you can literally watch Chicago get blown and smashed to bits, including the new Trump Tower which seems to take the worst of the damage. Be sure to pay attention to the skydiving scene too. Five divers actually flew around the skyscrapers surrounding the Loop on Randolph, Lake and Michigan Avenue!